Copying Hobby VHS tapes to DVD legalities

On a Yahoo Group that I follow there was a short discussion about copying one's VHS railroad tapes onto DVDs to preserve them. One fellow said he's done this, and keeps all of the original VHS tapes to prove that he bought them and can legally copy them for his own personal use.

I replied that I've done the same with the over 100 tapes that I had, and then I sold off the VHS tapes at local train shows. The copy DVDs all fit on one shelf, where the tapes were all over the place, one reason I had for replacing them was to gain some space.

The moderator came back lambasting me saying that selling MY tapes in such a manner and keeping the copies was ILLEGAL. And since Yahoo did not condone illegal copyright activities, I was not to refer to this practice again!

What a lot of BS! Me selling tapes that I paid for was illegal!! Talk about weak kneed wussies! Now if I was making copies of the VHS tapes and selling them, I could see that being not right, but selling MY tapes??

Comments?

Bob B

Reply to
Railfan
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Selling the tapes was not illegal. Keeping your backup copy on DVD WAS/IS illegal

When you sell the original you lost the right for a protective backup of the item.

Howard G

Reply to
Howard Garner

Selling the tapes was not illegal. Keeping your backup copy on DVD WAS/IS illegal

When you sell the original you lost the right for a protective backup of the item.

Howard G

Yeah, what he said. 100% agree. Val M.

Reply to
Val

Also:

IF the retail video tapes were manufactured with Macrovision AND they were duplicated after the effective date of the DMCA, they may not have ever been legal. DMCA clearly specifically prohibits defeating software and hardware anti-copy measures, even where "Fair Use" backup would otherwise apply.

Many of the mainstream retail motion picture and TV show tapes had Macrovision to make it harder for people to duplicate the tapes.

Duplication of retail taped material with Macrovision normally requires hardware to filter out the Macrovision effects (tape to tape) or special Macrovision removal recording software (tape to computer based DVR). If you were able to duplicate the tape with the software that came with a normal tape to computer recording adapter or the software that came with a computer based tuner card the tape probably didn't have Macrovision.

Reply to
RobertVA

RobertVA wrote in news:Ydouk.22005$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe08.iad:

*snip*

There are some computer capture cards (the Hauppague PVR250 being one) that aren't affected by Macrovision. They simply work differently than Macrovision does, so it's ineffective. I've had my DVD-Recorder tell me I couldn't copy some tape or something to DVD, and played it back with the same VCR to capture to computer and it's worked just fine.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Huh, I didn't know that!

Thank you!

-Pete

Reply to
Twibil

Selling them was illegal because you copied them onto DVD. That meant you had two copies. By selling either copy, you do exactly what you admit would be not right. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a problem. The DVd copies are "backups for personal use", which is still, it seems, OK despite the DRM Act (there is some legal dubt aboutn this.) But if you don't have the originals, then the DVDs aren't backups anymore. See?

HTH

Reply to
Wolf Kirchmeir

Don't ask, don't tell.

RE

Reply to
Random Excess

ote:

So when those black-uniformed RIAA police kick in your door at four am with their jackbooted feet, you can't plead ignorance anymore!

Reply to
video guy - www.locoworks.com

Somehow I doubt that I'm going to be staying up nights, gripping my assault weapon in fear.

Reply to
Twibil

What "if" the originals were destroyed by an angry spouse or other natural disaster? {:^)

Reply to
Brian Smith

You MAY have one or two copies. [Yours, in your possession/ control]

One or both may be destroyed!. The problem is the copy NO LONGER IN YOUR CONTROL, WHILE you still retain a copy. That "Copy no longer in your control" whether by sale or gift, is Illegal.

Chuck D.

Reply to
Charles Davis

You laugh now, but just wait until they clamp the electrodes on your testicles!

Reply to
video guy - www.locoworks.com

Reply to
Jon Miller

If they get over my fence and survive the rotweiller's greetings they yet have to deal with the dog's owner: an ex-Army Infantry guy who still owns and stays proficient with both long and short arms.

"Gee, what a pity, officer! I would have *sworn* they were that darned coyote pack we've been having trouble with!"

-Pete

Reply to
Twibil

Whoo! Who'da thunk that me selling my 15-25 year old tapes could be illegal! Guess I'll have to worry about the copyright police dropping in to see what I've done.

After reconsidering, I think I may have made a mistake, instead of selling my old tapes for $5-10 at local train shows I actually destroyed them. Shredded them into a zillion pieces and put them into a recycling bin. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Fuggemall!

Bob B

Reply to
Railfan

Sort of like the guy in Texas who saw two latino men trying unsuccessfully trying to break into a neighbors house.

After being told no less than three times by the 911 operator to stay in his house and that police were en route he want outside and shot them dead as they were leaving, in the back of course.

Was he convicted of anything, are you kidding it's Texas.

Reply to
Mountain Goat

Unsuccessfully? They were confronted coming *out* of the home and had a bag of cash and jewelry with them.

And the two Columbians haven't robbed any more homes...

Reply to
Spender

Perfect example of good "gun control": First Round Hits!

Reply to
Whazzit

That's because, under the Texas Constitution and Texas Law, those actions, to protect property, are completely legal.

Reply to
Ronnie

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